Chara's story
by Stas The Whale
Summary: Chara fell to the underground. What will her life be like there? Warning: SPOILERS!
1. Fallen down

Chara was lying on the floor, barely conscious. She remembered as she slipped on a vine and fell down a huge hole. The fall was long and then she landed on hard ground. Hurt by the fall, she felt she couldn't move.

 _-H-help… Someone… Anyone…-_

She groaned out in despair. Suddenly, she heard soft footsteps.

 _-It sounds like it came from over here…-_

Sounded a kind, childish voice. After a moment, as Chara rose her gaze, she found herself in front of a little goat who stood on two and wore black pants and a green shirt with a yellow stripe. Exactly the same shirt that she had.

 _-Oh, you've fallen down… Haven't you? Are you okay? Here, get up...-_

The small goat crouched to her, stretching its… Paw. It appeared to have paws. Chara shrank. What was it?! A talking goat? A walking-on-two goat? She was sure she hallucinated or passed out from the fall and now dreamed of… This. And then she remembered the legend of Mt. Ebott. The monsters were trapped underground after the war. So the legend actually was real. Hesitating shortly, Chara gave the monster her hand and stood up.

 _-Um… Hi. I'm Chara.-_

She introduced herself. She felt like she was going to fall unconscious, as it appeared the fall to the hard ground did some not small damage.

 _-Chara, huh? That's a nice name. My name is Asriel.-_

So Asriel, huh? Probably a boy then.

 _-Oh… You got hurt… Come with.-_

Asriel helped Chara to go. Most of the way she looked down, until they reached a big house. It almost looked like a castle.

 _-What is… This place?-_

Chara asked.

 _-That's my home! My mom will heal you.-_

At the entrance, was standing a tall monster-goat in long purple robe with an emblem on it.

 _-Oh, Asriel, what happened?-_

The goat asked with kind, motherly-caring voice.

 _-Mom! This human fell down… She appears to be hurt! Can you heal her?-_

 _-Of course, I will heal her!-_

Asriel's mother took Chara in her own arms. Chara felt the pain from injuries getting weaker. Looking at her body, she saw the wounds healing. It scared her as if she saw a ghost.

 _-What is that?-_

She asked, gasping, nearly falling off the goat's arms.

 _-This is magic, my child. Are you feeling better?-_

Chara nodded slowly in response. Magic? What? Is she actually awake?

 _-I'm Toriel, the queen of the underground. Asriel said you fell down here. Was it an accident?-_

Thinking a bit, Chara nodded again. Technically, it was an accident. She meant to hide in the cave, but not to fall down the hole. Toriel gave her a slight smile.

 _-I know you probably want to go home, but the barrier won't let one human soul to pass. Neither a monster. Now come, you seem very confused. Asriel and I will be your tutorials in the underground.-_

As Toriel was leading the human to the throne room, on the way explaining few things about mosterkind and underground, Chara was more looking at the monsters' behavior than actually listened to her. All the monsters appeared to be kind, much better than humans. Some of the monsters took fighting stances, but just because it was their first time seeing a human in the underground and they didn't know what to expect. Humans wouldn't behave like this. If a monster would suddenly appear on the surface on any way, the humans would probably kill him immediately, just because he was different, not like them. And here, all the monsters were different and easily accepted another different creature. Chara even made friends with few Froggits and royal guards. Most of the royal guards were dogs, thus they sniffed and licked her. Nothing to say, quite an unusual way to become friends, but fun. When Toriel brought Chara to the throne room to meet the king, Chara was still studying monsters. So kind, friendly and accepting… Chara felt safe with them. It was like as if all the good people were concentrated in one limited place. Looking up at Toriel, Chara felt the good aura in her. Much more pure and kind area than she felt in her biological mother. When she met the king, named Asgore, his friendliness was greater than of any other living being she ever met. He was so kind, joked while talking and smiled from ear to ear. And he also looked absolutely pure.

The kindness, acceptation, purity and friendliness of the monsters filled Chara with DETERMINATION.


	2. Story of her life

It's been few weeks since Chara fell down the mount Ebott and started living with the monsters. King Asgore and queen Toriel, who, as Chara discovered, carried the family name Dreemurr, adopted her as their own child. Asriel was showing her all the places he was allowed to go to in the underground and met her all monsters he knew. Chara mostly liked the Temmie Village. Temmies, half-dog half-cat little monsters with black hair, were all cute and friendly and talked on funny broken English. Unfortunately, Chara was allergic to both dogs' and cats' fur. One of the Temmies actually was allergic to humans' hair and got red itching allergy spots all over their face. Yes, their. Chara had no idea what gender the Temmies had. One of them, who, unlike the others, had a separated name- Bob -and spoke clean English, confirmed that he is actually a male.

The Dreemurrs were waiting for The Core to be finished so they will be able to move over in to the new capital of the Underground in Hotland, the hottest area of the kingdom, part of a volcano. Chara also met the royal scientist, W.D Gaster. He was a nice person, with quite good humor, but also a brilliant scientist. Chara sometimes came to watch him during the building as he showed where, what and why to the workers. He explained that The Core will be the source of all the electricity in the underground, produced just from the incredible heat of Hotland. He also took quite an interest in Chara's soul, as it was pure DETERMINATION. He took some analyzes to study the power of DETERMINATION better. Chara didn't mind.

So, meeting more and more monsters, Chara felt like part of them. The Dreemurrs were her family now. She felt happier with them then she was with her actual biological family. She got mostly attached to Asriel. He was like a little brother to her.

 _-Hey, Chara! What are you drawing?-_

Asriel shouted, running his pencils over a sketched drawing he already did. Chara was trying to find a pencil or a marker that was the closest to golden.

 _-A golden flower, like the ones that grew in my town.-_

She answered, finally finding the needed marker and starting coloring the petals of the flower. Asriel playfully filled his sketch with colors, until suddenly he became more serious.

 _-Chara… Why did you fall down mount Ebott? And… How was your life before?-_

He suddenly asked. Chara looked up sharply. She hoped she will never have to tell anybody. Sighing, she flipped from lying on her abdomen to her back and sat up. Asriel did the same. Sighing, Chara began:

 _-I lived in a small town right beside mount Ebott. I was the youngest in my big family, thus everybody stopped noticing me when I learned to go and talk a bit. My parents were all the time at work, my siblings-at school. When they came home, we all sat around the… Uh… Late dinner table. Then my parents asked how was the day. Until I went to school, nobody gave me to say a word. When I did and suddenly thought of something that happened to me, my father yelled: "Give your brother/sister a chance to tell!". No matter when it was, even if it's been at least fifteen minutes without anyone saying a word. You see, I wasn't such a great pride to them as my siblings, and I was the only not planned child. My sister, the second younger before me in the family, already was in sixth grade when I went to first, so I would have few years to catch up and make something that will make my parents think that I'm not a mistake. When I had an event at school where I could bring family, nobody came. But the rest of my family always gathered together in those events. I was always an outsider in my own family. But… My problem wasn't only with them. All the people in my town were like this. There was no single person who would behave to me like you, Toriel and Asgore did. I had no friends. There were just no kind people there. Everybody hated each other, people who sold things raised the costs just from greed, in school everybody competed who is better, even beat each other sometimes... Once, the neighbors of mine decided that because my eyes are almost red, I'm a demon, and my family took me to exorcism. When after the normal ritual my eyes stayed red, I was whipped… And even worse. It was so painful… One day, I couldn't take my family nor the society around me anymore. I ran to mount Ebott to hide from all the people in the world. I planned to live in the cave, but I slipped on a vine completely by accident and fell down. I was pretty scared, because I wanted to live my life, not to die. Luckily, I was DETERMINED to stay alive and make my life worth living.-_

Chara flipped back onto her abdomen, continued coloring the flower with no enthusiasm.

 _-The only beautiful things in this world for me were the golden flowers. They were… They were pure, and… And soft and beautiful. Not like the society.-_

Pausing coloring, Chara looked up at Asriel, whose eyes were widened.

 _-I don't understand why the monsters want so much to get to the surface. The world up there is ruined. The air and the seas are polluted, the society is wicked, the beautiful things gradually get smashed. Here, the life is much better. Everyone are accepting and kind. I have no idea what circumstances you can have to get to the surface if not to destroy humanity.-_

Chara understood that she said a bit too much. She'd better discuss it with Asgore and Toriel. Asriel was… Still too young and innocent for such talks. Chara tilted her head.

 _-Don't get bothered by it.-_

She said and picked up the drawing.

 _-What do you say? How's my flower?-_

Somehow, Asriel went from mode "terrified" to "playful" in less then three seconds and they started a drawing competition. They had no idea that their parents listened. Gloomy, Toriel and Asgore looked at each other.

 _-So, I guess humans merely changed since the war.-_

Toriel sighed. Asgore nodded sadly. Even if they reach the surface, the humans will explode but do everything to send them back underground.


	3. Let's bake a pie!

Chara was sitting, chewing a stem of a flower, thinking. The life in the underground was like a childish dream. Beautiful, flawless dream. Magic, monsters and kindness around. Why would the monsters even want to go to the surface? They had everything. They hadn't a real sun. So what? They still had light made by magic. They didn't see real stars. They had crystals instead of stars, that, in Chara's opinion, were even more beautiful and were always there, whenever the monsters wanted to look at them. They didn't have to wait for seasons to change, like on the surface. They had different places with different climates. They had water, food and electricity. They hadn't anybody looking at them like at freaks, because they all were monsters. They all were different, however, they all were friends. It was a complete contrary of Chara's life on the surface. Everyone hated each other, she was the freak just because her eyes were red. Actually, her eyes were her because of the incredible amount of DETERMINATION in her soul. And yet everyone thought she was a demon. Here, she was accepted. She was happy. But the monsters around her weren't. They had this dumb dream of going to the surface. This sentimentalism drove Chara mad, but she wanted the ones she cared about to be happy.

Chara sank so deeply in her thoughts that she didn't notice Asriel approaching with a camera.

 _-Okay, Chara, are you ready? Do your creepy face!-_

He said, pointing the camera towards her. Chara noticed that the lens cap was on, but still gave him a wide smile that naked her teeth and widened her eyes, tipping her head aside a bit. Asriel nearly dropped the camera while stumbling back.

 _-AHHHHH! Hee hee hee!-_

He rubbed the back of his neck while chuckling softly. Chara leaned backwards, putting her head on her palm and backing against the ground with her elbow, still smirking. Asriel wanted to check how the video came out just to realize the only thing recorded was his voice.

 _-Oh! Wait! I had the lens cap on…-_

He quickly put off the cap and moved the camera towards Chara again.

 _-Well, I actually think one heart attack is enough for you.-_

She yawned lazily.

 _-What!? You are not going to do it again…?-_

 _-Nope.-_

 _-C'mon, quit tricking me! Haha!-_

He stopped recording as Chara gave him a face of "I'm serious".

 _-Imagine, if you wake up and I stand in front of your eyes with this face!-_

Chara threw the chewed stem away and got up from the grass. Thinking of it, Asriel's facial expression changed to nervous and he gradually stopped laughing.

 _-Are you sure I won't wake up in a hospital after that?-_

He asked, actually taking her serious.

 _-Can't promise anything.-_

Chara shrugged, searching for another flower which's stem she could hold between teeth.

 _-Oh! Chara! I have an idea!-_

Asriel suddenly started hopping around.

 _-Which is?-_

 _-Let's make a butterscotch pie for dad!-_

 _-Hm? Why did you suddenly think of it?-_

 _-Well… His birthday is soon! And in his birthday there's always turmoil and lack of time… Now we have plenty of time to make him an early birthday present! You know he loves butterscotch pies!-_

Chara shook her head slowly. Asriel was so kind and enthusiastic… She knew she will never get bored with him.

Together, Chara and Asriel sneaked to the kitchen, searching for the recipe.

 _-Okay, Azzy, you look for the recipe and read it to me and I search for the ingredients.-_

Chara whispered. Asriel nodded in agreement and started searching for butterscotch pie recipe among a lot of others. Finally, he found it.

 _-Okay, Chara! We need flour… Sugar… Butterscotches…-_

Asriel was reading and Chara searched around the kitchen. When he started listing ingredients that were in the fridge, Chara used the opportunity and with every ingredient, she grabbed few pieces of milk chocolate from the fridge. Eventually, Asriel suspected her.

 _-Chara? You are not stealing chocolate again, do you?-_

He asked seriously. She turned to him at the awkward moment when her mouth was filled with chocolate. She did her best to keep her lips clean, but it was still obvious she was about to choke with all the chocolate she absorbed. To Asriel's question she just shook her head, trying to chew and swallow the chocolate without him noticing. Her plan failed and Asriel burst in laughter, seeing how his adopted sister moved her mouth weirdly, desperately trying not to choke. As she finally managed to munch and gulp the sweet, Asriel stood up, wiping the tears he had while nearly exploding from laughter and went back to the recipe.

 _-Okay… Okay, now we only still need… Um… Buttercups.-_

He read, squinting his eyes. Chara raised one eyebrow.

 _-Buttercups? Are you sure?-_

She asked.

 _-Yeah… That's what it says.-_

- _Uh… Okay, if that's what it says…-_


	4. The pie has consequences

Asriel chased Chara through the Core.

 _-Try to catch me!-_

She disappeared in a turn, running through labyrinth of futuristic corridors.

 _-Chara! Come back here! It's not funny!-_

Asriel whined. He caught up with her only when she stop at an edge, nearly falling into the lava.

 _-Wow! It's edgy here!-_

Asriel said, colliding into Chara. Behind them suddenly appeared (literally) Doctor W.D. Gaster.

 _-You two better stop running in this part of the core! If anything happens to you, your parents will turn me into dust!-_

He said, a hard accent audible. He was still trying to learn English, since there were barely any people who understood Windings.

 _-Sorry, Dr. Gaster.-_

Asriel squeaked. The royal scientist sighed loudly, slight smile on his face.

 _-Children…-_

Suddenly his phone rang and he answered.

 _-Hello? Oh… Oh, yes, your majesty. They are in The Core… Oh, now? All right.-_

He hang up and put the phone into his pocket.

 _-Kids, your mother needs you immediately home.-_

He said. Both Chara and Asriel groaned in disappointment.

 _-But we only started exploring!-_

Chara complained.

 _-Sorry kids, you can come to the end later. Now let me bring you via a short-cut to your home.-_

He placed hands on their shoulders and suddenly, in a moment, they were at their house. Both nearly passed out from this "short-cut". Gaster did it pretty often to them and they never understood how was he usual to it.

 _-I hope to see you two after your lesson tomorrow, but you shall learn to be more careful! Safety barriers on the bridges aren't done yet, you may fall down if not careful!-_

Waving, Dr. Gaster went away, teleporting behind a corner. Chara and Asriel, after waving back, entered the house just to meet their mother's gaze.

 _-Children, your dad fell ill today.-_

She said. Asriel all shuddered.

 _-Really? How? Why?-_

He asked nervously.

 _-The symptoms look like poisoning by buttercups. What I meant to say is that dad won't take you to learn about Echo Flowers tomorrow .-_

Chara looked disappointed only by missing the fun lesson in Waterfall, unlike Asriel who started panicking.

 _-Buttercups? Chara, it's our pie!-_

He whined. Toriel frowned hearing this.

 _-Pie? The one you gave dad yesterday as a present? Did you add buttercups?-_

She asked in firm voice.

 _-That's what he told me to add!-_

Chara pointed at her step-brother. Asriel got frightened.

 _-T-that's what was written in the recipe!-_

He mumbled, his voice starting to shake. Toriel's eyebrows crawled onto her forehead.

 _-Buttercups? In the recipe?-_

She led them to the kitchen and tookout the recipe.

 _-Where is it written?-_

She asked, handing it to Asriel.

 _-H-here…-_

He pointed. Chara looked from behind his shoulder.

 _-Azzy! It says "cups of butter", and not buttercups!-_

She noticed. Toriel crossed her arms.

 _-Asriel, you know I forbid you to bake without my watch. But well, I won't get mad because of that, because Chara knows to cook. But if you wasn't sure what did the recipe say, you could've asked her or me. And Chara, Asriel is younger than you. You should have checked that he is correct. And I assume you both know that buttercups are poisonous.-_

 _-I'm soooorry!-_

Asriel started crying. Chara sighed. Asriel was such a crybaby, even when it wasn't too serious. Like now, he didn't kill anyone, just confused cups of butter with buttercups, but he whined as if he murdered someone.

Under Toriel's serious gaze, Chara understood that she's waiting for an apology.

 _-Sorry mom, I'll be more responsible next time.-_

She said, barely actually meaning it. Toriel sighed loudly.

 _-Tomorrow I'm taking your dad_ _to Doctor Alphys for the medicine, so you will be allowed to continue exploring The Core under Dr. Gaster's watch. And when your dad will feel better, owe him an apology. Am I clear, children?-_

Asriel nodded frantically. Chara shrugged slightly as "whatever".

 _-Now, Chara, you go to your room and think about being more responsible this time. Asriel, you go too. Let Chara train with you reading.-_

Toriel turned around and started walking towards Asgore's room, what raised a question in Chara's mind.

 _-Hey, mom? Why do you and dad sleep in separated rooms?-_

She asked out of nowhere. Toriel stopped, her face still serious, but a light glance of amuse appeared in her eyes.

 _-Because he snores.-_

She answered shortly and went away. Chara laughed about this and also about the view of Asriel desperately running into their room. With a sight, she followed him.

 _-C'mon, Azzy, it's not so terrible.-_

 _-It is! It is terrible! We poisoned dad! It's all my faaaault!-_

He dropped onto the bed, crying into the pillow. Sighing, Chara pulled his book from a shelf.

 _-Don't you worry, dad will be fine. Let's just practice your reading now, so next time you won't confuse ingredients.-_

She said. Meanwhile, she actually was thinking of something else. She knew how to make her wish to free the underground come true.


	5. Happy birthday, Chara!

_-HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CHARA!-_

A loud shout made Chara jump on the bed as if there was a shooting tank near her pillow. She ended up sitting with a blanket over her like a Halloween ghost costume. Well, at least Asriel remembered when she told him her birthday was.

 _-Thanks, Azzy!-_

She said, struggling with the blanket. As she put it down, she saw Asriel handing her a small, plain but beautiful box.

 _-Open it!-_

He started hopping around. Chara smirked.

 _-I actually would rather get out of the bed first, but okay.-_

She took the box and unconverted it. Inside was a locket with a red heart. On the golden holder was engraved "Best friend until the end".-

 _-I have this too! So everyone will know that you are my best friend! And the red heart for your Determination!-_

 _-Aaaaw, thank you, Azzy. I love it! Now if you don't mind, I'm hungry!_ -

 _-Yeah, me too! Let's go quickly!-_

They changed the pajamas to daily clothes and ran to the kitchen. There, Toriel already finished their breakfasts.

 _-Awake already? Sit down. Chara, I have something for you after breakfast.-_

This line made Chara swallow the breakfast in less than five minutes. Asriel tried to catch up with her. As they finished, Toriel put a chocolate cake with twelve candles in front of Chara.

 _-Happy birthday, Chara! Make a wish!-_

She said. Right now Chara's greatest wish was to bite into this cake as quickly as possible. But she remembered the more important thing and blew the candles.

 _-''I wish for my plan to work.''-_

She thought. Asriel tugged her sleeve.

 _-What did you wish for?-_

He asked.

 _-I will tell you later.-_

From other presents, Chara got a book about snails from Toriel, a bucket of yellow flowers that looked alike to the golden ones in her village from Asgore, a CD of self-made music, a knife for self-defense and a fancy hairstyles magazine from the three ghost cousins she met in Waterfall, science books from Dr. W. D. Gaster and his assistants, ticket to a free spider donut from spider bake, a nice cream punch card and a lot of sweets with every present. In short, the perfect birthday.


	6. The plan

Chara threw the dagger she got as a birthday present and stuck it right into the target she drew to herself. Perfect. She smirked and got it out. Her skills were getting better and better. Thinking of the idea she carried in her mind, she decided that this capacity will serve her while fighting humans.

 _-Chara! Chara!-_

She heard Asriel shouting her name and hid the dagger on her belt, pulling her jeans higher and her shirt lower, so her step-brother won't see it.

 _-Howdy, Chara! Smile for the camera!-_

He said, pointing the camera at her. Chara smiled and tipped her head slightly. Asriel laughed:

 _-Ha, this time I got YOU! I left the cap on... ON PURPOSE! Now you're smiling for noooo reason! Hee hee hee.-_

He chuckled, feeling at least an evil genius. Chara tapped her dagger.

 _-Azzy… Do you remember Dad's birthday?-_

 _-What? Oh, yeah, I remember. When we tried to make a butterscotch pie for Dad, right? The recipe asked for cups of butter... But we accidentally put in buttercups instead. Yeah! Those flowers got him really sick. I felt so bad. We made Mom really upset. I should have laughed it off like you did... Um, anyway, where are you going with this?-_

He asked as Chara ripped a buttercup from the ground and went towards their home.

 _-Azzy, we won't need the camera. Turn it off.-_

She hissed.

 _-Huh? Turn off the camera...? OK.-_

Asriel thought he turned it off, but he pressed the wrong button, so the sound record still worked.

 _-Since everyone is so desperate to get to the surface, I thought of an idea. And I already planned all the details.-_

Chara entered their room, sitting down on her bed and tearing off the petals of the flower _._

 _-We are going to free everyone. To break the barrier, we just need seven human souls, right? And to pass it, it's just one monster and one human. So, I'm going to poison myself with buttercups, and when I fall down, you will take my soul, and, telling mom and dad that you're going to get my favorite golden flowers from my village for my grave, as if it was my last wish, you will take the rest six human souls from the humans in the village, break the barrier and free everyone. If you don't want to hurt innocent humans, you can take from the oldest or mortally sick people. They won't live for too long anyways, and you'll use their death for the good.-_

She said, on the last sentence leaving only the stem of the flower and throwing it away. Asriel stood, at first shocked, and then tears filled his eyes.


	7. Sick

Asriel was huffing softly, thinking of all the idea of Chara's. She'll have to die for that! He didn't want her to die! He didn't want to lose her…

- _I... I don't like this idea, Chara.-_

He whimpered. Chara puffed, making her hair that was on her face fly up a bit.

 _-Are you whining, crybaby? Don't you want to make all of the monsters happy? After all, they think I'm their future, I have to fulfill my mission!-_

She said annoyed, raising her voice.

 _-Wh.. what? N-no, I'm not... Big kids don't cry. Yeah, you're right…-_

 _-Are you doubting me? Don't be a crier, be stronger!-_

 _-No! I'd never doubt you, Chara, Never! Y... yeah! We'll be strong! We'll free everyone. I'll go get the flowers.-_

Asriel ran to the kitchen, stealing a box of buttercups while Toriel was busy with the dinner. He got back to their room again.

 _-Here, Chara… I got them.-_

He said, reaching her the box. Chara took and sighed deeply.

 _-Well. For the monster race. Um, can you bring me some chocolate, so it will taste better?-_

She said. Asriel ran to bring chocolate. What Chara thought was actually "what kind of heroic death is it if it's not tasty?" and chocolate was her favorite sweet, for she barely got any of it in her childhood. When Asriel came back with the chocolate, she began with her mission: taking a quad of flowers into her mouth together with a cube of chocolate. Asriel cried from the realization that his sister was killing herself, and laughing from the view. Comedy and tragedy under one shroud.

LATER

 _-Asriel, Chara, the dinner is ready!-_

Toriel called. No response.

 _-Hm, weird. They usually fly at the table.-_

She said thoughtfully. Asgore looked at her.

 _-Maybe they fell asleep? They were a lot outside today, perhaps they played a lot and are very tired.-_

He assumed. Suddenly Asriel came down running. Tears streamed down his face.

 _-Mom, dad! Quick! Chara is sick!-_

He shouted, running up again. Asgore and Toriel ran to the children's room, almost sweeping off the way all the flowers and trees they had there growing. Chara was lying on her bed, breathing heavily. Her entire face was red from the fever, sweat ran down her forehead and she was coughing. Toriel gasped and ran to bring the medicines, on the way calling Doctor Gaster and his assistant, Alphys. For some reason, none of them answered. Most certainly they were working in the unfinished part of the core. There was no signal yet. She took the mixtures against fever, a cold, wet towel and some other medicines. She got back to the room and immediately out the towel on Chara's head.

 _-Asgore, bring a pot with icy cold water.-_

She said because the towel got dry the moment it touched Chara's head. He ran to the kitchen and came back with a very big pot of water so cold that the pot itself was covered by slight white ice. Toriel immediately put another towel on Chara's forehead and gave her a mixture against fever. And so passed all the evening and night. Water, towels, and mixtures. Every five minutes Asgore tried to call Gaster or Alphys, but with no response. And then he remembered: he sent them to finish the bridges in the Core, and it would take a long time. Mad, he threw his phone away and came back to Chara's room. Toriel caressed her cheek lightly.

 _-Chara... Can you hear me? We want you to wake up…-_

She said softly.

 _-Chara! You have to stay determined! You can't give up! You are the future of humans and monsters…-_

Asgore said loudly. Chara, being partly conscious, thought:

 _-''Exactly. And I'm doing my job.''-_

Closer to morning, Asgore went to have some sleep. Toriel also was falling from tiredness. Asriel, who was lying on his bed the entire night, tugged his mother's sleeve.

 _-Mom… Go and rest. I'll watch over Chara.-_

He offered.

 _-Oh, thank you, Asriel! Here, see? Make sure the towel is wet and cold and if she starts coughing again, give her one spoon of this mixture.-_

She explained, and, exhausted, went to her room, meeting with Asgore.

 _-Gorey, I'm worried. The fever isn't going down. What can it be?-_

She asked. Asgore rubbed his beard.

 _-It looks like when I was sick from the buttercups…-_

They both gasped.

 _-Gorey, can it be…-_

 _-Don't worry, Tori. Chara is very determined, she will get better… I hope…-_

Asriel crawled closer to Chara's ear.

 _-... Psst... Chara… Please... Wake up... I don't like this plan anymore.-_

He whispered. Chara opened her eyes slightly.

 _-Azzy… You promised me… Are you doubting again…?-_

She asked barely audible. Asriel sniffled, tears running down his cheeks.

 _-I... I... No, I said... I said I'd never doubt you. Six, right? We just have to get six... And we'll do it together, right?-_

His voice shivered. Chara managed to smile weakly.

 _-Right… Get ready… Not… Too much time is left… Remember…-_

 _-Yes, tell mom and dad that I'm going to get your favorite flowers…-_

 _-No… Instead… Tell them… You are going to… Bury me… There… Those flowers… I don't think… They will… Grow underground… For a long time… It's my… Last… Dying wish…-_

 _-Okay… They know you loved those flowers… They will understand…-_

 _-I don't have much time… Maybe… Until noon… Let them rest… For a great moment of grief is to come...-_

 _-W…What?-_

 _-Beautiful phrase, isn't it…? It was… From a letter I wrote… Before… Running away from the house…-_

The rest of the time Chara spent sleeping, while Asriel was holding the cold towel on her head, in tears waiting for the horrible moment of his step-sister's death.

 **A/N Hello all the readers and my apologies for not updating for so long. But here's where the sad part of the story starts.**


	8. The great and the greater grief

Chara finally woke up. She felt much worse than before, understanding that her time is up. She looked at Asriel, who was still cooling down her head.

 _-Azzy… I think that's it… Call… Mom and dad…-_

She whizzed, as her eyes closed. She was still breathing, but barely. Asriel, crying softly, went to his mother's room. Toriel was sleeping, but her sleep was alert and bothering.

 _-M-mom…-_

Asriel squeaked. She immediately woke up.

 _-What is it, my child? How is Chara?-_

She asked. Asriel only whimpered in response, and, seeing all the tears running down his face, Toriel understood: Chara was no more. Tears filled her eyes and she ran to the children's room, on the way waking up Asgore. Asriel got back to the room to see how they were sobbing on Chara's chest. She was pale, and her chest didn't rise and fall anymore. That was it. The great grief has come. Trying not to burst in hysterical sobs, Asriel tugged the sleeves of both his parents.

 _-Mom… Dad… Chara asked me earlier… That if she dies… To take her soul and bury her under the golden flowers in her village…-_

He said quietly, desperately trying to make the tears stop streaming. Toriel turned her look at him.

 _-No, Asriel, no! What if humans attack you…? And… Chara loved the underground… I think she would love to be buried here… Right? In hers and your favorite garden…-_

She muttered through gasps and sobs. Asriel's lips started trembling.

 _-But she pleased…-_

He whispered. Toriel and Asgore looked at each other sorrowfully.

 _-It was her last wish…-_

Asgore whispered. Toriel closed her eyes for a moment, lowering her head.

 _-Be careful, my child.-_

She said, her voice trembling. Asgore hugged her, and so they both sobbed on each other. Asriel took Chara in his arms and went out of the house with her, carrying her like this until he left the territory of their house.

 _-Chara… It's time…-_

He said quietly. A red soul appeared in front of him. Taking a deep breath, he touched the soul and closed his eyes. He felt his entire body changing, becoming more powerful. He opened his eyes and looked at himself, surprised to find that his clothing also changed. He got taller, and instead of his green sweater with yellow stripes, he was wearing a long robe with long white sleeves. His head felt weird. Touching it with one paw, he realized that he had horns now. Passing through Waterfall, he caught a look into the water to see a stripe on both his cheeks. The colors in his eyes switched placed: the pupils were white and the sclerae got black. He noticed a huge Delta Rune on his robe. He had some horn-like pads on his shoulders. From his neck was hanging his heart-shaped locket, the same one Chara had.

With Chara's pale, lifeless body in his arms he looked like a murderer.

Sighing deeply, he continued the way. As he came to the barrier, he closed his eyes for a moment: For Chara. For the entire monster race. He's now their hopes and dreams.

 _-Chara, are you there?-_

He whispered. Golly, even his voice became different. It sounded deeper and more masculine.

 _-Yes, I'm here, Azzy. Now hurry up!-_

Asriel felt that he lost control over his legs as he ran through the barrier. He squinted to the sun, yet his legs literally carried him to the middle of the village.

 _-What… Just…-_

 _-Oh, sorry that I didn't warn you, Azzy. I just want to end with this as soon as possible. Here they are… My flowers… Uh, Azzy?-_

 _-Yes, Chara?-_

 _-While you're searching for the souls… Do you mind if we leave my body in the flowers? Though it was just an excuse to come here… I actually want to be buried here…-_

 _-Sure…-_

Asriel felt as Chara made his body kneel down and put her own empty body into the flower bed, when suddenly they heard steps and gasps. Humans. Looking up, they saw them, surrounding the bed flower, looking at Chara's body and at Asriel.

 _-It killed Chara!-_

Sounded a voice of a teenager Chara's age. Probably former schoolmate.

 _-It came to kill us all like it killed Chara!-_

 _-It came to destroy humanity!-_

 _-It wants our souls!-_

 _-The monsters will take our souls and control the Earth!-_

The humans shouted as they started running at Asriel and Chara fusion. Axes, scythes, kitchen knives and many more things that could be used as weapons glanced in their hands. Asriel felt Chara's wrath and desire for vengeance.

 _-Now it's time to pay for being who you are…-_

Chara prepared a deadly attack when Asriel took control over the body.

 _-No, Chara, no! Don't hurt them! They're just scared!-_

 _-Azzy, came here for the human souls! Take them now! Don't miss the opportunity to free everyone!-_

 _-No, Chara, I can't…-_

While the two argued, the humans were striking Asriel's body with their weapons. As Asriel finally got control to himself, he felt all the horrible pain coming from his injuries.

 _-Get out of here!-_

 _-Go back to your hell! Leave!-_

 _-You won't have our souls!-_

 _-Die, beast!-_

The humans yelled. Asriel fell to his knees.

 _-C'mon, Azzy! It's our last chance!-_

Chara yelled in despair. Asriel took few deep breathes, but then looked up. A small smile appeared on his lips, although tears streamed down his face.

 _-Azzy…?-_

Chara's voice shook as she realized that her plan failed. And it was Asriel's fault. He was too much of a coward. And she… She didn't take control in time. It was her fault as well.

 _-You… COWARD, COWARD, COWARD!-_

Chara shouted. Asriel sighed loudly.

 _-I'm sorry, Chara… I'm so sorry.-_

He said, picking up Chara's body and started limping towards the barrier. While walking to the new Throne Room, they both didn't lose a word. As they entered, they saw their parents together with the scientists.

Asgore and Toriel came to the New Home the moment Asriel left and caught in The Core Dr. Gaster and Alphys, in case if Asriel will be hurt. And since the Ruins were quite far from the barrier, they decided to be near it.

As Asriel entered, open wounds all over his body, his legs trembling and dust slowly flying from him, they both gaped.

 _-ASRIEL!-_

They shouted, running up to him. Asriel smiled weakly.

 _-Mom… Dad… I love you…-_

He whispered, as his body slowly turned to dust, and the dust flew at the beautiful garden of the throne room. Chara's body was about to fall to the floor, but Toriel caught her in time and fall to her knees, sobbing. Asgore sobbed as well, hugging his wife. The scientists lowered their head and slowly went towards the exit, for there was nothing they could do anymore.

 _-I'm very sorry… They were… Very good and kind children…-_

Doctor Gaster said quietly, exiting afterward. Guilt filled him, as well as it did Alphys: If they'd only be smart enough to be in reach of call when it was needed, they would probably be able to save Chara, and if Chara wouldn't have died, then Asriel wouldn't cross the barrier to bury her there and wouldn't get killed by the humans.

Yet the colleagues didn't dare to talk about what they felt right now, but the silence made the situation even more gloomy.

 _-It's so unfortunate… They had such a potential… A great future was awaiting them…-_

Eventually, Gaster said.

 _-Y-yeah… Poor the king and the queen… Those two were… S-such adorable children…-_

Alphys mumbled in response.

But the grief didn't cover only the Dreemurr family. The entire monster race was mourning the prince and princess of the underground, for with their death, died the hopes and dreams for peace between the monsters and the humans. Died the hope to be free again once. Died the future of the monster kind.


	9. The void

Chara opened her eyes to find herself in somewhere dark. She had no actual clue where she was. She sat up, looked around. Everything was dark. She stood up and walked around when she suddenly heard someone calling her.

 _-Princess Chara!-_

She heard a familiar voice. Chara turned to face.

 _-Dr. Gaster?-_

She asked, her jaw dropping. Gaster was sitting on the ground, if there actually was a ground in there, eye level with Chara. Chara stared at him until he spoke:

 _-I also fell down. That's where the partly dead go. The void.-_

He explained the shortest he could. Chara also sat down, preparing a waterfall of questions and began:

 _-What's the void? How did you fall down? How much time has passed since I died? What does partly dead mean? Where's Azzy? How long I was unconscious? Why was I even unconsciousness? WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON IN THIS WORLD?-_

She vented in one breath. Gaster started the detailed explanation:

 _-The void is where partly dead go. We are dead, but we still can be in the world of the living. Some pieces of us are still there. You died over a month ago. You weren't unconsciousness, just your soul was "picking up" if it's dead or not. Eventually, some parts stayed in the world of the living, and the biggest part is here. I fell down a week ago while trying to experiment with fake DETERMINATION I and Alphys created after your death, but instead of making my soul determined, I partly killed myself. I injected too much DETERMINATION and my magic disappeared, making my molecular structure too unstable to exist, but my soul shattered only partly, and the biggest part, as well, is here. And the prince… Alphys had injected some of our fake DETERMINATION into a flower that his dust was spread on, and he woke up as a flower… Only without a soul. He's alive, but he doesn't have it because he has no magic, only DETERMINATION to live.-_

He explained slowly and comprehensible. Chara blinked few times.

 _-And… Where are the parts of our souls?-_

She asked.

 _-The second biggest part of my soul was sent to… To another monster, Sans… Smaller parts of it were sent to my fellow scientists… Three of them had also participated in my experiment, but since they didn't come to my condition, they'll still be able to interact with people determined enough in the world of the living. Those who received the parts of my soul… Will be the only one to remember me. The other ones will have all the memory of me replaced or erased.-_

 _-And why is that? Will I be forgotten as well?-_

 _-No, you won't. You are… Differently dead from me. Your DETERMINATION keeps you partly alive, like those three followers of mine, you can be seen and interacted with someone with their soul as determined as yours. I, however… I'm shattered in time and space. I will never be able to interact with the living or the fully dead again. I'm... Not exactly dead. I don't exist, and I've never existed. Sans and the three scientists are the only ones who will remember me… However I won't be able to interact with them.-_

 _-I still don't completely understand… Why am I here and won't be forgotten?-_

 _-Because your body is dead, and it exists-it's buried in the same spot where you fell from the surface, but your soul shattered only partly. My body doesn't exist in any world. Nobody can remember something that doesn't exist.-_

Chara answered with the face of 'Oooooh now I get it!', but said nothing. She just thought how sad it must be-When you are still alive somewhere, or even partly alive, knowing that barely five, counting her, six people know of your existence… Or rather non-existence.

Some awkward moments passed silently until Gaster spoke again:

 _-I have also discovered something quite interesting. SAVE and RESET.-_

He began, entirely drawing Chara's attention.

 _-And what are those?-_

She asked, taking a more comfortable sitting position if she actually was sitting and not floating. She had no idea if there was a floor there. Gaster made his face of 'make yourself comfortable because it'll be very long and super confusing' and then began:

 _-SAVE is the ability to "load". If the person has enough DETERMINATION, maybe your level, they will be able to SAVE, so if they die, or if they want to change something in their actions after SAVING, they will be able to go back to their last SAVE and do so. And that's what I called RESET.-_

Unlike his countenance told, it actually was short and comprehensible. Chara blinked stupidly.

 _-So, is our universe becoming a weird video game?-_

 _-Something alike. Me, you, Sans, the four scientists and the former prince will remember the RESETS.-_

 _-What does Azzy have to do with it?-_

 _-His memories, saved in his dust, are now in a flower. Alphys injected into the flower enough DETERMINATION to bring him to life. And since he's made of DETERMINATION, he'll be able to use that two options.-_

Chara took few moments to think of another question:

 _-And why won't the RESET affect you and those scientists of yours?-_

 _-I don't exist. And the parts of my soul that they received are connected to me. So partly, they also don't exist. RESET can't affect something that doesn't exist.-_

Gaster explained calmly. Chara stood up and started walking around and thinking. From one side, it was all crystal clear, from another side, how can someone exist while not existing? She wanted to ask, but knowing that this time, she'll hear the mostly incomprehensible explanation, if Gaster even had one, she gave up.

 _-So, what shall we do while stuck here?-_

She asked eventually with a smirk. Gaster shrugged.

 _-We may go and watch over the world of the living. I think that prince Asriel, now with the ability to SAVE and RESET, will use it. Won't you like to watch how it will turn out?-_

He offered. Chara sighed. She hoped that her sweet brother won't use the ability to change the entire world for something bad, so she decided to go and watch over him. Maybe he has enough determination to see her, after all, and they'll be together again.

 _-I'm going to watch him.-_

She said but then realized that she had no idea how to get out of the void. Gaster gave a laughter.

 _-Let me help you a bit.-_

He said and stretched his bony hand. Chara took it, and… Found herself at the spot where Asriel first found her. Beneath her ghostly feet were growing flowers… She gasped: those were the golden flowers from her village! Probably her body had some pollen of those flowers on it, and they started growing there if it was right that she actually was buried under them. Among the flowers, was one different-it was moving. Chara could swear that she could hear it… Crying?

 _-Azzy…?-_

She whispered. No response.

 _-Yes, princess, that's your brother. But apparently, he hasn't determined enough to interact with you. Or maybe he can't because he has no soul.-_

Gaster's voice brought Chara back to reality.

 _-Mhm…-_

 _-Well, I assume you'd like to begin your journey. I… Have someone else I need to visit.-_

And Gaster left, leaving Chara's spirit alone with what Asriel has become. She could only watch how he mourned her on her grave.

 _-Oh Azzy… I'm so sorry I can't tell you I'm here with you…-_

 **A/N Hello everybody who read the story 'till the end because... This is the end! The finale of Chara's story... For now!**


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